Tips for a healthy holiday season

After a long year, the December break is a chance to rest and recharge ahead of the new year. Whether you’re staying at home or going on holiday, we have some tips for keeping healthy over December.

Freeze healthy meals

Just because December is traditionally the month for eating your favourite treats doesn’t mean you should give up on healthy meals. To stop yourself from grabbing takeaways, make extra food when you cook and freeze some of it so you have healthy food when you don’t feel like cooking.

Hats and sunscreen

If you’re used to being inside, the summer sun is just waiting for a chance to burn you. Sun damage is linked to developing skin cancer and every sunburn can be dangerous. You can burn even if your skin is dark, so apply and reapply sunscreen. Wearing a hat helps as well since sunscreen doesn’t block all the sun’s rays. A hat can also cool you down and help protect against heat exhaustion.

Treat yourself to sleep

Some people overeat in December to treat themselves. Instead of rewarding yourself for making it through the year with food, reward yourself with sleep. If you sleep too little, you could gain weight or feel more stressed. Getting enough sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Drink responsibly

It’s a South African tradition to drink around the braai and to welcome the new year with a drink. Drinking too much over the holidays can make your heartbeat irregular, especially if you suddenly drink more than you usually do. The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa recommends not having more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. A drink is 340 ml beer, 120 ml wine, 60 ml sherry or 25 ml spirits.

We wish you a healthy and happy December and a happy New Year!